For this fall, instead of a tailgating spread, we wanted to find one penultimate Southern tailgating food. It had to be delicious, handheld, portable, and beloved. We believe this savory cupcake is one for the ages. You can stuff it with a variety of fillings, but our favorite is, of course, pulled pork. Other contenders are chopped barbecue chicken, brisket, drained chunky salsa, finely chopped vegetables (broccoli would be amazing!) or olive salad. Some assembly is required, but it is unquestionably worth the payoff. If you want to stuff the cupcakes with warm filling, do so and carry to the serving location in an insulated container. A sandwich bag in the cooler can hold the frosting, and you can snip and pipe just before serving. For a make-ahead solution at home,...

Courtesy of Buck Webb This eastern NC style barbecue is a close second to a pit-cooked pig. When you don’t have a cooker or a whole pig, this is the way to go. Barbecue aficionados will be shocked when you tell them this came out of a slow-cooker -- we checked. Ingredients Rub 6 tsp. smoked salt (can substitute kosher salt) 2 tsp. garlic powder 2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. paprika 1 tsp. white pepper 3 tsp. seasoning of choice(mesquite-flavored spice blend is recommended, but you may experiment with spice rub of your choice) 5 lb. Boston butt/bone-in pork shoulder Procedure Mix together rub. One side of pork shoulder will have a thick layer of fat. Trim most of the fat off this side. Coat...

Recipe courtesy of Ken Page Prepare this sauce at least a day in advance and taste after it’s been mixed for at least eight hours. Adjust the heat and acid as necessary for your tastes at that point. This sauce is ideal for pulled pork and we’ve had great success putting it on chicken, in pasta salad, and even dousing leftover macaroni and cheese with it. Store it in a glass container. This makes a considerable amount, so you might want to scale it down. Ingredients 1/2 gallon white vinegar 1 quart of Texas Pete or Durkee’s Hot Pepper Sauce 2 tbsp. Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp. black pepper 2 tsp. salt 2 tbsp. white sugar ¼ c. red pepper flakes Procedure Combine all ingredients and store in a glass container in...